Trophy Tracker weekly division leaders include Crosby, Grubauer

NHL.com will be running weekly installments of the Trophy Tracker series this season, looking at leaders for the Hart (MVP), Norris (top defenseman), Vezina (top goalie) and Calder (top rookie) trophies. Though there can be only one winner for each award at the end of the season, five NHL.com writers per division will be ranking their top three for each award.
Here are the voting totals (points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis):

MASSMUTUAL EAST DIVISION

Hart Trophy

Leader:Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins, 20 points (four first-place votes)
Runners-up:Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals, 12 (one first-place vote); Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins, 9
Others receiving points:Alex Ovechkin, Capitals, 4
Leader last week:Marchand, 23 (four first-place votes)
Why I picked Crosby:"Crosby has elevated his play to help the Penguins thrive while missing several key players, including Evgeni Malkin, with injuries." -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Norris Trophy

Leader:John Carlson, Capitals, 16 (two first-place votes)
Runners-up:Adam Fox, New York Rangers, 15 (two first-place votes); Charlie McAvoy, Bruins, 8 (one first-place vote)
Others receiving points:Kris Letang, Penguins, 6
Leader last week: McAvoy, 21 (three first-place votes)
Why I picked Carlson:"Carlson continues to be a workhorse on the back end for the Capitals after he was the runner-up in the Norris Trophy voting last season." -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
Video: NYR@WSH: Carlson backhands tying goal home from slot

Vezina Trophy

Leader:Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Runners-up:Vitek Vanecek, Capitals, 11; Tristan Jarry, Penguins, 8
Others receiving points:Mackenzie Blackwood, New Jersey Devils, 1
Leader last week:Varlamov, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Why I picked Varlamov:"Steady. Varlamov, like the Islanders in general, doesn't have to be flashy and he's not typically relied on to make 40-plus saves, including 10 ten-bell saves a night. He needs to be consistent, on his game, reliable, and he's all those things for the Islanders. He's being pushed by rookie Ilya Sorokin, which in the end might be the best thing for him." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Calder Trophy

Leader:Ty Smith, Devils, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Runners-up:Oliver Wahlstrom, Islanders, 8; K'Andre Miller, Rangers, 7
Others receiving points:Vanecek, 5
Leader last week: Smith, 23 (four first-place votes)
Why I picked Smith: "Wahlstrom is catching fire, but he hasn't done enough to knock Smith off his perch. The defenseman just continues to impress." -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

HONDA WEST DIVISION

Hart Trophy

Leader: Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche, 16 (two first-place votes)
Runners-up: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings, 15 (two first-place votes); Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights, 9 (one first-place vote)
Others receiving points:Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche, 3; Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild, 1; Marc-Andre Fleury, Golden Knights, 1
Leader last week: Kopitar, 23 (four first-place votes)
Why I picked Rantanen: "Rantanen has taken the lead in this race. He's putting up points almost every night and scoring big goals for a team banging on the door for first place in the West." -- Brian Compton, deputy managing editor
Video: ANA@COL: Rantanen nets backhander for opening goal

Norris Trophy

Leader: Drew Doughty, Kings, 17 (three first-place votes)
Runners-up:Shea Theodore, Golden Knights, 12 (one first-place vote); Samuel Girard, Avalanche, 9 (one first-place vote)
Others receiving points: Cale Makar, Avalanche, 6; Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights, 1
Leader last week: Doughty, 21 (four first-place votes)
Why I picked Doughty: "Plays and plays and plays (and well, we might add), and leads the NHL in ice time per game (26:34). One validates the other."-- Tim Campbell, staff writer

Vezina Trophy

Leader:Philipp Grubauer, Avalanche, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Runners-up:Fleury, 15; Kaapo Kahkonen, Wild, 4
Others receiving votes:Calvin Peterson, Kings, 1
Leader last week:Fleury, 23 (four first-place votes)
Why I picked Grubauer:"Again, it's neck and neck between the top two goalies in the West, Grubauer and Fleury. But I'm sticking with Grubauer, who continues to take a bulk of the work and is a big part of why the Avalanche are thriving in the division." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Calder Trophy

Leader: Kaprizov, 25 points (unanimous No. 1)
Runners-up:Kahkonen, 9; Gabriel Vilardi, Kings, 5
Others receiving points: Mikey Anderson, Kings, 4; Zach Whitecloud, Golden Knights, 2
Leader last week:Kaprizov, 25 points (unanimous No. 1)
Why I picked Kaprizov:"The forward is lapping the NHL field in the race for the Calder Trophy. There is nobody in the West that is even close to what Kaprizov has done for the Wild. He is a unique combination of polished skill and unshakeable confidence that is rare in a rookie." -- Shawn P. Roarke, director of editorial

DISCOVER CENTRAL DIVISION

Hart Trophy

Leader: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Runners-up:Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning, 7; Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers, 6
Others receiving points:Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers, 4; Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning, 3
Leader last week:Kane, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Why I picked Kane: "Opponents have zeroed in on Kane more, but it hasn't slowed his production much." -- Myers

Norris Trophy

Leader:Hedman, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Runners-up:Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes, 15; Aaron Ekblad, Panthers, 4
Others receiving points:Mikhail Sergachev, Lightning, 1
Leader last week: Hedman, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Why I picked Hedman:"We don't even need stats to make this case anymore. Just watch a Lightning game. He is the best player on the ice virtually each game and there is no better or more impactful defenseman playing in the NHL right now." -- Roarke

Vezina Trophy

Leader:Vasilevskiy, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Runners-up:James Reimer, Hurricanes, 9; Kevin Lankinen, Blackhawks, 3; Chris Driedger, Panthers, 3
Others receiving points: Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers, 1; Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators, 1
Leader last week:Vasilevskiy, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Why I picked Vasilevskiy:"I dare you to name a better goalie in the NHL right now. Double dare. Nope. You can't do it. It's Vasilevskiy and then the field." -- Rosen

Calder Trophy

Co-leaders:Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars, 14 (two first-place votes) Lankinen, 14 (two first-place votes)
Runners-up:Eeli Tolvanen, Predators, 8 (one first-place vote); Pius Suter, Blackhawks, 5
Others receiving points: Philipp Kurashev, Blackhawks, 3; Jake Oettinger, Stars, 1
Leader last week: Robertson, 19 (three first-place votes)
Why I picked Robertson:"He has been a bright spot for the Stars in a season that has so far been filled with a lot of almosts, setbacks, injuries, stops and starts." -- Rosen
Why I picked Lankinen:"He has pushed his way from third on the Blackhawks' goalie depth chart entering the season to establish himself as their No. 1 and help them contend for a playoff spot." -- Gulitti
Video: TBL@DAL: Robertson buries a feed from Pavelski

SCOTIA NORTH DIVISION

Hart Trophy

Leader:Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Runners-up:Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs, 13; Leon Draisaitl, Oilers, 3
Others receiving points:Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets, 2; Mitchell Marner, Maple Leafs, 2
Leader last week:McDavid, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Why I picked McDavid:"McDavid continues to be the heart and soul of the Oilers, who remain in the hunt for a Stanley Cup Playoff berth. McDavid's desire to be the best is never in doubt and has been on full display this season. He's certainly on target to win his second Hart Trophy and first since 2017." -- Morreale

Norris Trophy

Co-leaders:Jeff Petry, Montreal Canadiens, 14 (two first-place votes); Darnell Nurse, Oilers, 14 (two first-place votes)
Runners-up:Tyson Barrie, Oilers, 5 (one first-place vote); Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks, 6
Others receiving points: Shea Weber, Canadiens, 3; Morgan Rielly, Maple Leafs, 1
Co-leaders last week:Petry, Canadiens, 14 (two first-place votes); Nurse, 14 (two first-place votes)
Why I picked Petry:"With the Canadiens shut down this past week because of COVID-19 protocols, Petry didn't do anything to help his candidacy, but he didn't do anything to hurt it either. So he sticks in my top spot, just barely ahead of Nurse and Barrie." - Benjamin
Why I picked Nurse: "The Oilers' recent problems have never been about offense, so Nurse's growth is instrumental to the strides they are making as a team." -- Campbell

Vezina Trophy

Leader: Connor Hellebuyck, Jets, 25 (unanimous No. 1)
Runners-up:Thatcher Demko, Canucks, 9; Mike Smith, Oilers, 6
Others receiving points: Frederik Andersen, Maple Leafs, 3; Jacob Markstrom, Calgary Flames, 1; Carey Price, Canadiens, 1
Leader last week:Hellebuyck, 19 (three first-place votes)
Why I picked Hellebuyck: "Hellebuyck has the Jets in contention for first in the North Division and is having another season worthy of the Vezina after winning it last season." -- Gulitti
Video: WPG@VAN: Hellebuyck makes a string of stops in tight

Calder Trophy

Leader:Tim Stutzle, Ottawa Senators, 23 points (four first-place votes)
Runners-up:Josh Norris, Senators, 10 (one first-place vote); Nils Hoglander, Canucks, 7
Others receiving points:Alexander Romanov, Canadiens, 4; Juuso Valimaki, Flames, 1
Leader last week:Stutzle, 19 (three first-place votes)
Why I picked Stutzle: "The 19-year-old continues to play a big role for the Senators in a top-six role while averaging 15:53 per game. His 13 even-strength points and six power-play points rank in the top 10 among NHL rookies." -- Morreale